totem pole

noun

plural totem poles

1

: a pole or pillar carved and painted with a series of totemic symbols representing family lineage and often mythical or historical incidents and erected by Indigenous peoples of the northwest coast of North America

2

: an order of rank : hierarchy

the people at the bottom/top of the totem pole

As low man on the totem pole [=the least important or least powerful person] I had to clean out the grease trap …

—David Brooks

Illustration of totem pole

• totem pole 1

Examples of totem pole in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

As Americans are barely getting by because of inflation, tariffs, and a cost-of-living crisis, saving for retirement can feel like the priority lowest on the totem pole. —Sydney Lake, Fortune, 31 Mar. 2026

Struggles and hope for rebirth The loss of the beloved totem pole outside the Weed supermarket comes amid a tough stretch for Weed, which is still recovering from a deadly 2022 fire that destroyed scores of homes. —Los Angeles Times, 4 Mar. 2026

At the scene, officers discovered that a big rig hauling a trailer had knocked down the iconic totem pole that had stood for more than half a century. —Cecilio Padilla, CBS News, 11 Feb. 2026

Many cruisers start their visit to Klawock by taking in a collection of about two dozen colorful totem poles on a hillside overlooking the harbor. —Fran Golden, Travel + Leisure, 7 Feb. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1880, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for totem pole

• amphibole
• asystole
• buttonhole
• casserole
• centriole
• decontrol
• glycerol
• metropole
• monopole
• multipole
• omeprazole
• oriole

Kids Definition

totem pole

noun

: a pole carved and painted with symbols of totems and set up by Indigenous people of the northwest coast of North America